Ami Semiconductor, Inc.

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Robert P Moehrke

Jose Marcos Laraia

Jose G Taveira

Masahisa Niwa

Methods and systems using Pade' Approximant expansion ratios provide mappings between nonlinear sensors and a more linear output domain. The method includes a method of converting an input digital signal having a nonlinear dependency on a physical variable into an output digital signal that exhibits a substantially linear dependency with respect to the variable is disclosed. The method includes: (a) multiplying the input digital signal by a variable multiplying factor to thereby generate a multiplied digital version of the input signal; (b) adding to the multiplied digital version of the input signal, a predefined digital offset signal to thereby produce the output digital signal; (c) multiplying the output digital signal by a predefined feedback gain correction factor to thereby produce a digital feedback signal; (d) using the digital feedback signal to produce the variable multiplying factor.

Pad&#xe9; approximant based compensation for integrated sensor modules and the like

Methods and systems using Pade' Approximant expansion ratios provide mappings between nonlinear sensors and a more linear output domain. The method includes (a) generating a variably amplified version of the input signal in accordance with a produced and variable gain defining signal; (b) generating an output signal that exhibits a substantially linear dependency from a sum of a supplied offset signal and the variably amplified version of the input signal; (c) multiplying the output signal by a supplied gain correction factor to produce a feedback gain correction signal; and (d) using the feedback gain correction signal to produce the variable gain defining signal.

Pade' approximant based compensation for integrated sensor modules and the like

Methods and systems using Pade' Approximant expansion ratios provide mappings between nonlinear sensors and a more linearized output domain. In one embodiment (a) a variable gain amplifier receives a supplied input signal, the amplifier has at least a first input terminal, an output terminal, and a gain control terminal; (b) a first summer coupled to the output terminal of the variable gain amplifier adds in a first offset signal; (c) a first multiplier coupled to an output of the first summer receives a proportional feedback factor signal and correspondingly generates a multiplied feedback; (d) a second summer coupled to an output terminal of the first multiplier adds in a corresponding second offset signal; and (e) a second multiplier coupled to an output of the second summer receives a gain factor signal and generates a multiplied gain signal; where the gain control terminal of the variable gain amplifier is operatively coupled to an output terminal of the second multiplier.

Pade' Approximant based compensation for integrated sensor modules and the like

Reactive sensors typically exhibit nonlinear response to temperature variation. Systems and methods are disclosed for compensating for the nonlinear and/or temperature dependent behavior of reactive sensors and for calibrating the post-compensation output signals relative to known samples of the physical parameter under measure. One call of embodiments includes a housing containing at least part of a reactive sensor, a monolithic integrated circuit and a timing reference. The integrated circuit includes a waveform generator for generating a sensor exciting signal, a detector for detecting the response of the sensor to the combination of the exciting signal and the under-measure physical parameter, a temperature compensating unit and the Pade Approximant nonlinearity compensating unit are tuned by use of digitally programmed coefficients. The coefficients calibrate the final output as well as compensating for nonlinearity and temperature sensitivity.

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Chubbuck, ID, United States of America

Robert P Moehrke